Mowi Caught Importing 'Organic' Smolts from Ireland to On-Grow on Skye - did they follow the SSPO's code & quarantine for three months?

I love all things Irish but why is Mowi importing 'organic' salmon smolts from Altan in Ireland to on-grow on Skye as 'Scottish' salmon? Were the smolts quarantined? https://t.co/jeTujWIArt
I read that Mowi breached their licence in Lough Altan in 2019 https://t.co/9p6iXdECr0 pic.twitter.com/zF7SR3D9Ed

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 7, 2021

'Case Information' slipped out recently by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate raises alarm bells about the import of smolts by Mowi from Ireland to their Sconser salmon farm on the Isle of Skye.

This afternoon (7 July 2021), Scottish Salmon Watch asked the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation for clarification on this issue.

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 7, 2021 at 4:19 PM
Subject: Mowi importing smolts from Ireland – compliant with SSPO CoGP?
To: Hamish Macdonell <hmacdonell@scottishsalmon.co.uk>

Hamish,

I just Tweeted on Mowi importing smolts from Altan in Ireland to their Sconser salmon farm: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1412792140372008962

Did this comply with the SSPO's CoGP?

I understand that Grieg was kicked out of the SSPO in 2014 for breaching the three month quarantine rule when they imported smolts from Norway:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-27223843

Clarification would be much appreciated.

Best fishes,

Don

The SSPO's 'Code of Good Practice' includes:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #30 SSPO CoGP 2015

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #31 SSPO CoGP 2015

BBC News reported in April 2014:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #24 SSPO expelled Grieg

Intrafish reported in April 2014:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #48 Intrafish SSPO

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #49 Intrafish SSPO

The Shetland Times reported in April 2014:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #53 Shetland Times

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #54 Shetland Times

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #55 Shetland Times

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #52 Shetland Times comments

The Press & Journal reported in April 2014:

Fish Farming Expert reported in June 2015:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #23 SSPO expelled Grieg

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #25 SSPO expelled Grieg

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #26 SSPO expelled Grieg

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #27 SSPO expelled Grieg

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #28 SSPO expelled Grieg

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #29 SSPO expelled Grieg

SSPO in 2015: "While it is legal to import smolts, the rest of the industry is unanimous in its concern over this move & there is widespread commitment to quarantine & high biosecurity measures, as required in the Code of Good Practice" https://t.co/53sCokUvfO
What about Mowi? https://t.co/cWnigoZMfQ pic.twitter.com/cK6lCBKV0v

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 7, 2021

Intrafish reported in March 2019:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #47 Intrafish SSPO

The import of smolts to samon farms in Scotland is highly unusual – according to the latest Annual Fish Farm Production Survey (2019) published by the Scottish Government in October 2020.

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #43 import data

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #43 import data rules

Which salmon farming companies are importing potentially virus-laden smolts from Ireland?
Is the 3 month quarantine period – as stipulated @SSPOsays Code of Good Practice – being followed? @MowiScotlandLtd @GriegShetland @salmon_scottish https://t.co/mxg7I0HuHP @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/FlOjWqXWV8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 8, 2021

Mowi's Lough Altan freshwater salmon farm does not have the best reputation. Salmon Business reported in April 2019:

The Journal (in conjunction with Noteworthy) reported just last month (27 June 2021):

Here's a photo from Mowi's certified 'organic' salmon farm at Lough Altan:

We recently visited & filmed at two @BordIascMhara organic certified @Mowi farms in Northern Ireland for an upcoming project. This photo is taken at their Lough Altan salmon farm. A huge thank you to the @Mowi team at Lough Altan for your Irish hospitality! ☘️ #GSSIseafood pic.twitter.com/7yjPE2GBjf

— GSSI (@ourGSSI) April 10, 2019

More information on Mowi's Lough Altan salmon farm is online here

Next time you see Mowi's 'Scottish' nay 'organic' salmon – freshly farmed on the Isle of Skye – check under its kilt to see if it came from Lough Altan in Ireland. In view of Mowi's licence breaches it is no wonder @MowiScotlandLtd want it kept secret! https://t.co/ITj8bU7I3d pic.twitter.com/ChAJUYbqPz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 7, 2021

Seafood Source reported in March 2021:

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #50 Mowi post smolt unit Kyleakin

Does Mowi plan to quarantine imported smolts from Ireland at Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye? @MowiScotlandLtd @SSPOsays @HighlandCouncil https://t.co/Rfbv0Aviy6 @Ianblackford_MP @_KateForbes @MairiGougeon @marinescotland @WHFP1 @pressjournal #Boycott #Irish #Scottish #Salmon pic.twitter.com/jsqMatD572

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 8, 2021

Here's the 'postsmolt' page from Mowi's Capital Markets Day presentation (17 March 2021):

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #51 Mowi post smolt unit Kyleakin

Addendum:

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 8, 2021 at 7:39 AM
Subject: FOI re. imports of salmon smolts since 1 January 2018
To: <CEU@gov.scot>

Please provide information on the import of salmon smolts since 1 January 2018.

Please include any health certificates, import/export documentation, emails, letters and other information.

Please include any correspondence with Mowi, the SSPO, Grieg Seafood, other salmon farming interests, EFTA, Irish government agencies and other parties in relation to the import of salmon smolts since 1 January 2018.

As context, a FHI inspection of Mowi's Sconser salmon farm detailed import of smolts from Lough Altan in Ireland – including a letter from Marine Scotland dated 17 November 2020 stating that "Health certificates for imported Atlantic salmon had an incorrect destination site listed".

Salmondemic blog July 2021 #22 Mowi Sconser Ireland.jpg

The document is available in full via Additional case 20200461

The latest Annual Fish Farm Production Survey 2019 (published in October 2020) detailed:

Please provide the information requested under the relevant FOI & Environmental Information regulations.

Please provide the information electronically.

Please provide a receipt for this FOI request.

Thanks,

Don Staniford

Director, Scottish Salmon Watch

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 8, 2021 at 8:10 AM
Subject: Mowi importing smolts from Ireland – Grieg kicked out of SSPO in 2014 for same issue?
To: <info@griegseafood.com>, <kristina.furnes@griegseafood.com>

If Mowi Scotland are found guilty of failing to follow the SSPO's Code of Good Practice on the import of smolts from Ireland, will Grieg Seafood be calling for them to be kicked out of the SSPO?